Ritchie Blackmore

Born: April 14, 1945Weston-Super-Mair, Somerset, England

Ritchie Blackmore became interested in the guitar when his father brought home a new guitar for him and informed him that he would be taking classical guitar lessons. After a few lessons, Ritchie began teaching himself. He had quickly outgrown what his tutor had been teaching him. He began listening to American blues artists, and was also heavily influenced by the flowering rock and roll scene in England. He began joining many different bands, such as Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages, and the Outlaws. He's never really settled on one band with any steady, constant members; he's always been in and out of favor with other musicians. At his pinnacle, he's been in Rainbow and Deep Purple, both very influential bands to the rock and roll community. His guitar style has been emulated by countless young guitar wannabes. In his later years, however, he has hung up his electric guitar for a lute, forming Blackmore's Nights, a renaissance-influenced band.